A top official with the Western Massachusetts Fire Chiefs Association is questioning the motive and expertise of the consultant who recently did a critical study of the Sturbridge Fire Department.

A report on the study resulted in the retirement last week of a 35-year Fire Department veteran, Fire Chief Leonard E. Senecal.

Retired Holyoke Fire Chief David A. LaFond, executive director of the chief’s association, questioned the role town government has had in the Fire Department’s condition and chastised town officials for having used its police chief as the acting fire chief for nearly a month.

Police Chief Thomas J. Ford III has no firefighting experience.

Mr. LaFond said town residents have reason to worry about the condition of the Fire Department, but he asked why town officials did not act sooner.

“If this was so bad, why did they wait?”

Mr. LaFond was recruited by the Collins Institute of Excellence, University of Massachusetts, Boston, to assess the troubled Chelsea Fire Department and also served as interim fire chief there for 15 months. He is former president of the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts.

Citing a lack of leadership in the Sturbridge Fire Department, Mr. LaFond said, “It’s not all the chief’s fault. You can blame the chief, but some of that responsibility has to come from the bottom up.”

The study that said the Fire Department is “operating in a dangerous state of disrepair” was done by consultant Ernest Horn, who is also the police chief, fire chief and interim town coordinator in Mendon.

Mr. LaFond does not take issue with Chief Horn’s findings in the study.

“From our position, it’s indefensible,” Mr. LaFond said. “How can we defend a fellow chief who hasn’t tested his hose I don’t know for how long? He hasn’t had maintenance on the vehicles. He hasn’t serviced the air packs. There are some serious things.”

But Mr. LaFond questioned Chief Horn’s motives with a recommendation that Sturbridge “consider a consolidation of police and fire under the control of a public safety director, presumably Police Chief Thomas Ford,” which is the same thing that happened in Mendon, Mr. LaFond said.

Although the state Department of Fire Services does not track the number of communities that have one person serving as police and fire chief, Mr. LaFond said it is fewer than six.

“Is it fair to say that at the beginning of it, it says, it’s not an indictment on the chief. The whole report was about the chief, chief, chief, chief, chief,” Mr. LaFond said. “And when I saw the recommendation, I went, `Ahh, I get it now. I get it.’ You don’t have to be a rocket scientist.”

In response, Chief Horn said, “I provided the town of Sturbridge with all the possible recommendations for them to consider.”

The study on the Sturbridge department was the first paid study done by Chief Horn, he acknowledged, though he said he has assisted other departments in various studies.

In his town, Chief Horn said, he has rebuilt the Mendon Fire Department and established a professional fire department in less than a year. He said he has management training from attending the International Association of Fire Chiefs National Conference in 2007 and completed the National Fire Protection Standards review.

But Mr. LaFond maintains that Chief Horn is not an expert on fire services.

“He’s been the chief of Mendon. That doesn’t rate too high. Mendon is a very small department. I don’t think that would warrant him to be a subject-matter expert in fire and emergency services. Absolutely not,” Mr. LaFond said. “My professional opinion is that Chief Horn is not an expert in fire services.”

Mr. LaFond also questioned why Chief Horn charged only $3,000 for his Sturbridge study. Mr. LaFond said such an assessment should have cost between $10,000 and $15,000.

After Chief Senecal was placed on paid administrative leave last month, Mr. Ford was named temporary fire chief April 23 and named acting fire chief two days later.

Minutes after the selectmen’s April 22 executive session with Chief Senecal, Mr. LaFond said he told Mr. Suhoski that it is the fire chiefs association’s position that a police chief should not be in charge of a fire department, even in an acting or interim capacity.

“With respect to the police chief, he’s probably a wonderful person,” Mr. LaFond said of Chief Ford. “He’s probably got great managerial skills, but he doesn’t know anything about the fire services.”

Mr. Suhoski said the bulk of the duties of the fire chief are administrative, involving management of the department.

“I have the utmost confidence in the ability of Acting Chief Ford to manage the affairs of the department while a more permanent structure is developed,” Mr. Suhoski said.

He added that he knows of no law barring the use of a police chief as acting fire chief.

Meanwhile, State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan is not an advocate of combining police and fire chief positions.

“When I look to the head of the fire department, I expect to find a qualified professional in fire and emergency services management,” Mr. Coan said. “The public safety director model serves neither law enforcement nor the fire service well, as each position requires specific education, training and experience to provide citizens with the maximum level of public safety.”

The town administrator has interviewed potential interim fire chief candidates, but no recommendation has been made to selectmen by Mr. Suhoski.

CDL A DELIVERY DRIVERS Home Every Night! Needed for our Worcester Depot! Drive local - No more spending valuable nights away from your family! As a Direct Store Delivery Representative YOU have the opportunity to make a difference with our customers! Provide excellent customer service; interact in a positive manner with our customers; deliver our products to local stores. Be home every night! Work for a Company that has been around for over 80 years! Minimum of 3 months driving experience with CDL A/B; GED or HS diploma required; Must be able to drive a standard transmission. EEO/Veteran/Disability Growing Strong Since1933!